A Wisconsin mayor is stepping in as emergency management director and Chief Terry Lane will leave one Missouri town to be chief in a neighboring town. In Rhode Island, Gov. Donald L. Carcieri appointed Chief John E. Chartier as state fire marshal.

Chartier has served as the emergency management director and chief of the Warwick City (R.I.) Fire Department since June 2001. The Carcieri’s nomination is subject to the advice and consent of the state senate.

“I’m pleased that Chief John Chartier has agreed to serve as the state Fire Marshal,” Carcieri said. “His long experience as fire chief in the state’s second largest city makes him an ideal candidate for this position. He has been on the front line of enforcing the state’s fire codes throughout his career. That background will help him immensely as he takes on the role of the state’s chief enforcement officer. He will also benefit from his longstanding professional relationships with fire chiefs and EMA officials across Rhode Island. Given his qualifications, I hope that the Senate will approve Chief Chartier’s nomination before the end of the month.”

“I am excited by the opportunity to assume this new challenge and continue the effort to make our state a safer place to live and work,” Chartier said. “I am honored to be nominated and understand the awesome responsibility the position entails. I can’t wait to begin to serve.”

Before being promoted to chief, Chartier served as Warwick City assistant chief from 1999 to 2001. He joined the Warwick City Fire Department in 1976 and was made deputy chief in 1997. Chartier received an executive fire officer degree from the National Fire Academy in 1998.

The Portage Daily Register reports that Columbus, Wis. Mayor Nancy Osterhaus placed acting Fire Chief Bill Kluetzman on administrative leave. She also suspended Emergency Management Director Bob Zapotocny.

There were no details about these moves other than Kluetzman was the subject of a police investigation. Osterhaus has assumed the emergency management director position and Mark Kenevan moves into the acting fire chief role.

The changes come as the community is still recovering from major flooding that occurred in early June, the paper reports.

Meanwhile, Buffalo, Mo., Fire Chief Terry Lane will take over as chief of the Bolivar (Mo.) Fire Department on July 14, according to the Buffalo Reflex. Lane was also Buffalo's building inspector and the Dallas County director of emergency management. He has been Buffalo's chief for the last eight years.

"Bolivar is a vibrant community," Lane told the Bolivar Herald-Free Press, a sister publication of the Reflex. "The city of Bolivar is going places. This is an opportunity for me to spread my wings and grow with the city and the fire department."